Project Based Homework Due 10.15.12

Hello All,

I would like to point out that you must make sure that your PBH is printed and inside the mailbox the day it is due. Please don't give me excuses on the due date why you don't have it. I made it clear on day one that if you don't have a printer, it's out of ink or not working to go to a library, come upstairs during lunch (only days before it is due) or go to a friends home who has a working printer. That is why I say do not wait until the last minute. It is good for those of you who you save it on your flashdrive and send it to your email because now you have back ups. However, it must be printed and inside the mailbox. Make sure you check your flash drive to make sure you have saved it correctly. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSES!!!! The only acceptable excuse is if you are sick and it is accompanied by a doctor's note stating why you were absent.

To prepare you for what I will be teaching next week, both classes will answer the same questions in essay format, 12 font, Times New Roman, double spaced and proper heading.

In connection to "Thinking outside the Box" with Walter Dean Myers literature, please answer the following questions using three details from prior knowledge as supporting evidence for your claims.

1. What are the stereotypes associated with your race?

2. Where do you think these stereotypes originated or came from? Explain why. Please think outside the box.

3. Do you believe that everyone in your race fits under this stereotype category? Explain why.

4. Why do you think these stereotypes still exist today?

421 - Journal response due tomorrow, 10.10.12. You copied the question from the SMART board so answer it in essay format.

421 and 401

• Open book test on "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" this Friday, 10.12.12.
• Word Wall - Vocabulary word of your choice from your independent reading book is due on 10.19.12. Please complete and take one graphic organizer I showed you in class.

Project Based Homework Due 10.9.12

Hello All,

This homework assignment will be different for each class. Only do what your class number tells you to do.

A. Class 8-421, please do the following...

To continue our exploration of Walter Dean Myers, in a full, typed, 12 font, Times New Romans, doubled spaced essay, you will explain the following questions using your prior knowledge and personal experience:

I. How does culture and environment (in which you live) influence who you are as an individual? Basically, think about how you were raised, your culture, close family and friends, school, religion, neighborhood, etc. has shaped you into the person you are today. Provide 3 or more detailed examples. Explain why for each.

II. How does culture and environment influence what author's write about? Think about what books you have read in the past and what evidence of cultures (i.e. Hispanic/African American) and the environment (i.e. discrimination, stereotypes) are described in the books of your favorite author(s). Provide 3 or more detailed examples. Explain why for each.

III. How does culture and environment influence the media in terms of what is produced in magazines, billboards, television, movies, the web, newspapers, your community,etc.? Think about how some of what you see around you (violence, discrimination, cultural stereotypes, etc.) is reflected in the media and entertainment. Provide 3 or more detailed examples. Explain why for each.
This essay must include an engaging introduction and a strong and clever conclusion.

B. Class 8-401, please do the following...

To continue our exploration Walter Dean Myers, in a full, typed, 12 font, Times New Romans, doubled spaced essay, you will explain the following questions using your prior knowledge and personal experience:

1. Choose a movie, sitcom or television series you watch on a regular basis.

2. Identify the main character and list the character traits of that character.

3. Explain how the writer of the movie, sitcom or television series reveals direct and/or indirect characterization through the personality and qualities of the character. Include in your essay 3 specific examples from the movie, sitcom or television series.

8-401 Hint: Each number above should be treated as a paragraph.

C. For both classes 8-421 and 8-401, read below...

Book Review # 1 will be due 10.22.12. The focus will be on characterization and the outline will be handed to you this week. Please do not wait until the last minute my book review outlines are NO JOKE!!!

Word Wall Vocabulary # 1 will be due on 10.19.12. Please follow the format that is on the classroom word wall.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me M-F before 7 p.m.

As mentioned in class, PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR HOMEWORK IS (i.e. Sunday at midnight), THAT YOUR COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING OR THAT YOUR PRINTER RAN OUT OF INK.

DO NOT BRING A FLASH DRIVE INTO SCHOOL WITH YOUR UNPRINTED HOMEWORK! IT MUST BE PRINTED and SIGNED BY YOUR PARENT.

ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSES!!!

SAT Vocabulary Words Friday's Quiz 9.28.12

8th Grade SAT Vocabulary Words to Know for Friday's Quiz:

Vociferous
Expound
Arduously
Brandishing
Profusely
Advocate
Famished

Words in context 421 missed:

Brandish - to wave or flourish (a weapon) menancingly; to wave in a threatening way.
Sentence: Although the criminal did not shoot, he was brandishing a semi-automatic gun in the air in order to scare the victims inside the bank.

Arduously: extremely difficult
Sentence: Janet worked arduously to complete her chemistry project. Although she was not good in science she still was determined to pass the class and graduate high school.

Profusely: pouring forth liberally; abundanlty; a lot
Sentence: After exercising on a very hot day, Mark was sweating profusely through his T-shirt that people thought that he was swimming in a pool all day.

Please bring in your most valued and prized possession tomorrow. :)

Project Based Homework Due 10.1.12

Hello All,

For those of you who completed your first project based homework...Congrats! As I said you will notice how your homework is essential for understanding what I do inside the classroom. You will need it to complete most of your assignments.

Here are few things you need to keep in mind for this week:

1. Tomorrow will be the last day in all of the learning stations. You will continue where you left off yesterday.
2. Wednesday is NO school.
3. Thursday you must bring in your most prized possession. It must be an object that you find to be of value to you and means the world to you. Please read last week's blog for more details.
4. Friday - Vocabulary in Context quiz on all 7 words!

Next week we will go further into Walter Dean Myers' works of literature. We will be discussing the author's use of characterization or character traits in literature. You will create a dating ad home video trying to convince the celebrity of your dreams to choose you over someone else. Your video must include:

1. Creativity - You can use music in the background, create your own persuasive lyrics, write a poem to the person of interest, use sound effects, create a setting, etc.
2. You must identify who the celebrity is that you are interested in (i.e. Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber)
3. Provide a list of reasons why you should be their number one choice
4. Be yourself - you must allow your personality to shine through in order to be convincing and unique.
5. Equipment - you may use your phone, iPad, camcorder, computer camera or any other device that will record your presentation.
6. Time Limitations - your video must be 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 minutes long.
7. Presentation - presentation and professionalism is everything. Please make sure that you check and double check that your home video is saved correctly on your flash drive. Also remember to bring it to school to show the class on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
8. Reminder - If you haven't purchased a flash drive as yet, I suggest you do it rather quickly. All video recordings MUST BE SAVED ON YOUR FLASH DRIVE!

If you have any questions, please email me. All presentations are due on Monday! There are absolutely no excuses!

Project Based Homework Due Monday 9.24.12

Since we are beginning our new unit on Walter Dean Myers next week, to introduce you to his works you will do a mini research about his life and the books he has written. This assignment is to have a proper heading, handwritten on loose leaf, using paragraphs and skip a line for each sentence. Please use the following websites for your information. You are NOT TO COPY but to write an academic essay using the information from the websites below to support your answers for the questions below.

Research websites: http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/Myers-Walter-Dean.html,
http://cms.westport.k12.ct.us/cmslmc/resources/authorstudy/myersbio.htm, and/or
http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/bio.html. Click the links to be taken to the website.

Please note that you may ONLY use the above websites. If you have a book about WDM's life you may use that as well.

Please answer the following questions in ESSAY FORMAT ONLY:

1. What challenges did Walter Dean Myers experience growing up? (i.e. school life, at home, etc.) Why? How did he overcome them?

2. What was Walter Dean Myers motivation to write the type of stories, tales and poems he published? (list some books, poetry, etc. as evidence to support your answer)

3. Based on your research, what types of helpful lessons about life do you think you will read about in Walter Dean Myers books? Why? What do you think you will learn from these lessons and how can you apply them to your life?

ALTHOUGH THIS IS RESEARCH, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PLAIGIARISM (I.E. COPYING WORD FOR WORD FROM A RESOURCE YOU DID NOT GIVE PROPER CREDIT TO IN YOUR ESSAY). IT IS ILLEGAL AND IT IS AGAINST THE SCHOOL'S  DISCIPLINE CODE BOOK'S RULES AND REGULATIONS. YOU WILL BE WRITTEN UP AND SUFFER CONSEQUENCES IF THIS OCCURS!

421 and 401 please bring headphones to class on Monday.

Good News! Those of you who didn't hand in your summer book report, I just received news at approximately 3:31 p.m. that it will be extended until September 28, 2012. Please have your work neatly typed and inside the classroom mailbox.

For class 421 ONLY! Please write about your ABrT experience in a letter format to Ms. Beata. She said it should be at least 10 lines. This will be due on Monday.

On Thursday, you must bring in a personal object that means the world to you. However, you may NOT bring in something that someone can steal from you (i.e. XBOX, skateboard). It should be small enough to carry in your bookbag and large enough for everyone to see. If you have any questions, please email me.

Homework Reminder Due 9.19.12

Hello All,

Thank you to all of the students who brought in 100% of the supplies. For those of you who did not bring it in as yet, you still have time. As I said in class, there are a few other items you will need to bring. That is why I am giving you over a week (two day Jewish Holiday) to be 100% prepared for my class on the 19th. Please note, that if you received 0 for not having all of the items, your grade can change. However, if you don't bring it in it will remain the same.

The additional supply items for class are the following;

1 pack of Crayons
1 pack of Markers
1 pack of Colored Pencils

You will need these above items to decorate the reading corner in the classroom. Please bring in google or magazine images that represent who you are. Please select positive images. Bring in as many as you can, the possibilities are endless to what you can create.

If you need to know the previous supply items I requested, please go back to or scroll to the previous blog.

Lastly, the summer book reports are due September 14, 2012.

Email me if you have any questions at thereadingcafe@aol.com

: )

Homework Reminder Due 9.10.12

Hello All,

Now that you have completed two days of school, I would like to remind you of what is due on Monday. Please bring with you the following:

1.) All 3 Blue Cards signed and completed by your parents
2.) All school welcome letters signed and completed by your parents
3.) The revised and updated welcome letter to parents about your ELA teacher that I gave you on Friday. Make sure that your parents have completed the bottom portion of the letter. Please disregard the first one I gave you on the first day.
4.) All ELA supplies:  3 marble composition notebooks
                                 3 folders with pockets (Reading, Writing and High School Folder)
                                 4GB or 8GB flash drive (mandatory)

                           A pack of multi-colored pens

                           1 pack of 8 ½ x 11 white copy paper (IT IS OK IF YOU DON'T BUY THIS)

                           Library card (mandatory)

If you received a library card application from me, PLEASE RETURN IT TO THE LIBRARY NOT TO ME! Don't forget to follow the instructions that are printed on the form.

Lastly, don't forget that your first set of ELA pre-diagnostic tests will be next week. These tests can be used as grades so please take each test seriously.

Have a wonderful weekend! : )